Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986): Season 7, Episode 23 - Street Smarts - full transcript
Arnold is traumatized after becoming a street mugger's latest victim. However, Arnold puts up his bravado in front of his friends, claiming he held his own ... until a classroom exercise brings Arnold's true emotions (which he tried to conceal to the knowing Drummond) to the surface.
♪ Now the world don't move
to the beat of just one drum ♪
♪ What might be right for
you may not be right for some ♪
♪ A man is born he's
a man of means ♪
♪ Then along come two ♪
♪ They got nothing
but their jeans ♪
♪ But they got,
Diff'rent Strokes ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent Strokes ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent
Strokes to move the world ♪
♪ Everybody's got a
special kind of story ♪
♪ Everybody finds
a way to shine ♪
♪ It don't matter that
you got not a lot ♪
♪ So what they'll have
theirs, and you'll have yours ♪
♪ And I'll have mine ♪
♪ And together we'll be fine ♪
♪ Because it takes, Diff'rent
Strokes to move the world ♪
♪ Yes it does ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent
Strokes to move the world ♪
- And so general Santa
Anna won his attack
on the Alamo and Texas
temporarily remained part of Mexico.
- Arnold, the way
you gave that report
on old Mexico
was one big siesta.
- And you're the expert,
since your breath
smells like old tacos.
- Hey hey hey, listen.
Well.
I'll see you all tomorrow huh?
Oh listen, listen.
Everybody be careful out there.
I guess you all
heard that another
one of our students
was mugged last night.
Okay, enough said?
- Yeah.
Okay see you tomorrow.
- Who got mugged?
- Mike Nagles, he's in
Mr. Larson's homeroom.
- Boy if something
like that happened
to me, I wouldn't fight.
I'd just give him my money.
- Right, I'd give
him your money too.
- Guys, guys, guys.
What did Mike expect?
He was alone in
the subway at night.
Now see, if you
stick to the streets
during the day,
there's no possible way
you can get mugged!
- Listen to Mr. Know-it-all.
- Unless you have
a mug like Lisa.
- Come on Arnold,
Dudley and I are gonna
stop by the gym and
watch cheerleader practice.
- Yeah, it's fun if
you're a thigh man.
- Hey, I'm a thigh, eye,
ear, nose, and throat man.
But I can't today, it's
my turn to stay behind
and help Mr. Hawkins
with the test papers.
- I sure hope he doesn't
grade us on a curve this time.
- Tell me about it.
The last time he graded
us three on a curve,
we went off the
road and over a cliff!
- Arnold, you about
ready to give me a hand?
Sure.
- Let's see, think we'll
grade these on a curve.
- Hey kid, come here.
I said come here.
- Hey what are you doing?
Hey help, help,
somebody help me!
Wait a minute!
- Okay now this
finger goes here.
- Ouch!
- And this finger goes here.
And this finger goes there.
And that chord is called an A.
- What's the A stand for, agony?
- Well, thanks for
the lesson, Sam.
- Would you like another
lesson tomorrow Mr. D?
- Oh sure Sam, my fingers
will be untangled by then.
- Hi guys.
- Hi Arnold, whatcha
got behind your back?
- Oh, just my jacket.
It kind of got ripped.
- Great, that way
it'll be broken in
by the time I get it
as a hand-me-down.
- Hey let's see.
- Hey!
- Oh.
- Hey Arnold, did
ya get in a fight?
- Kind of.
- Well I hope she
didn't hurt you.
- Cut it out guys, I got mugged!
- Mugged?
- Yeah mugged, M-U-ugged.
- What's mugged?
- Arnold was robbed.
Did the guy have a gun?
- No a knife, and luckily he
only got a couple of dollars.
- Luckily you didn't get hurt.
Sam, go get Dad.
- No!
Come back here!
It's not that big a deal, guys.
- The guy had a knife!
What's a big deal
to you, a bazooka?
- No, it's just that
you know it's over now
and I just want
to forget about it.
- Yeah I know what you mean.
Remember when I got mugged?
I didn't want to tell anybody
for a long time either.
- It's not that, I just don't
want you guys to worry Dad.
Besides, that knife
didn't scare me.
You should've seen
what I did to that guy.
- Did you punch
his lights out Arnold?
- Hey you know it!
First I gave him a
left, and the a right,
and then an uppercut and then
a roundhouse and a Sunday punch.
Then I gave him the
other six days too.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday!
- Then how did he get all
your money, Sugar Ray?
- He grabbed it out
of my pocket and ran.
That's how I got ripped,
but it doesn't matter.
Pearl will sew it up.
- Yeah well I guess
we won't tell Dad.
- Yeah, he'll just get
worried and call the police.
Besides, he has more
important things to do,
like cleaning up
after the horses.
- Well Arnold
sure is taking this
a lot better than I did
when I got mugged.
- Yeah, but you are
kind of a yellow belly.
- Little more Willis?
- Ah you bet, Dad.
You know you're a great cook.
Pearl has been on
vacation three days now
and I don't even
miss her cooking.
- Thank you.
- Hey I love your
dinners the best, Mr. D.
What restaurant are
we eating at tonight?
- We'll see Sam,
little more oatmeal?
- Oatmeal, why didn't you
tell me I was eating that, Mr. D?
I hate that stuff.
- But that is your second bowl.
- I thought it was
soggy cornflakes.
- Oh, more soggy cornflakes Sam?
- You bet Mr. D.
- Well well well.
If it isn't my favorite family.
- Hi Arnold.
- Morning, morning.
- You've been very chipper
lately, what's going on?
- It's Friday, which
means no homework,
which means I
get to stay up late,
which means all night
horror flicks on TV,
which means...
- Which means we get the idea.
- Oh, before I forget Arnold,
Dudley called while
you were in the shower.
He and Ricky got
a ride, so they can't
walk to school with
you this morning.
- Oh okay.
Hey Dad, how about giving
me a ride to school in the limo?
- Oh, I'm sorry Arnold.
I'm going to be going
in the opposite direction.
I have to meet
with my accountant.
It's tax time again.
- Boy, I'm sure glad I
don't have to pay taxes.
- Sam you pay taxes every time
you buy a candy
bar or a root beer.
- I do?
Boy that's pretty sneaky of 'em.
- Boy, I hope they don't
start a tax on kissing.
- Well Arnold, I
guess you're just
going to have to
go to school alone.
- Oh okay, it's no big deal.
- Hey Arnold, I'll walk
to school with you.
- No you won't Sam,
you're not walking anywhere!
Uh, I mean thanks anyway Sam,
but I'll just go to
school by myself.
- Arnold don't you
like your cereal?
- Pretend it's soggy cornflakes.
- Thanks Sam, but I think
my stomach's a little queasy.
- Oh really?
You were all right a minute ago.
- If Arnold's not
eating, he must be sick.
- You're not running
a temperature.
- Arnold, you can't be sick!
You told me you
never get sick on Friday,
you always wait 'til Monday...
- Uh Sam?
- I guess I talk too much.
- Listen Arnold, if you're
really not feeling well
maybe you'd better
not go to school today.
- That's a good idea, Dad.
- Man, I think I'm coming
down with the same thing.
- Then you better
go to school Willis,
you don't want to give it to me.
- Well it was worth a shot.
- Arnold, why don't you
just go back upstairs,
get into bed, and
I'll be up in a minute.
- Okay Dad.
- I hope he's not
getting the flu.
- He's just tired from
staying up all night.
- Staying up?
What do you mean Sam?
- Well the last few
nights when I wake up,
Arnold's still not sleeping.
He's just sitting at his
desk with the lights off.
- Sam, why didn't you
tell us about this before?
- I didn't think
anything was wrong.
Arnold told me he was studying
a history book on the dark ages.
Then I saw what he put
in his school notebook
and I got kind of scared.
- In his school notebook?
- Look.
- Now look Willis, I am
very disappointed in you.
Why didn't you come and tell me
that your brother
had been mugged?
- I'm sorry Dad, you're right.
- Arnold, Arnold!
- Yeah Dad?
- Would you come
down here please?
- Okay.
- Would you guys
leave us alone please?
- Sure Dad.
- Aw can't I waaa!
- Dad, what is it?
I was just getting
ready to get in bed.
- I'd like to know
why you've been
carrying one of our
kitchen knives to school.
- Knife?
- That's right.
You must have noticed it in here
among your pencils and
erasers and purple bubblegum.
- You're right Dad.
You'll be happy to
know it's sugarless.
See I figure it's never too late
to start a healthy
dental program.
You know...
- Arnold!
The knife.
- Right, the knife.
Well you see, there's this
kid at school, a friend of mine
and he needed something cut
and I told him we had this
real sharp knife at home
and I'd bring it to
school so he could use it.
- I see, I thought maybe
it might have something
to do with you being mugged.
- Great.
Which one of the
two stooges stooged?
- All right son, come over here.
Why didn't you come and tell
me that you'd been mugged?
- Ah Dad, he only
got a couple of bucks.
It wasn't the end of the world.
- Well it is the
end of the world
when you start carrying
things like this for protection.
You must have been
absolutely terrified.
- Nah Dad, I told you
what the knife was for.
The only thing that's
terrified me lately
is when I accidentally
barged in on Willis
kissing the bathroom mirror.
- Arnold stop it!
You could have been hurt.
For crying out loud, don't
you realize what happened?
I'm sorry Arnold.
You think about it
and you want to talk,
I'm always available, I
want you to remember that.
- That's okay
Dad, I've practically
forgotten about getting mugged.
The only thing that's
bothering me lately
is my homework and
how to get out of doing it.
- You seem to be
feeling a little better.
- Funny thing Dad, my
stomach's a little bit better now.
- I'm glad to hear that.
Would you like me to
drop you off at school?
- Sure Dad, but won't that
make you late for
your tax meeting?
- Maybe, but you come first.
- Thanks Dad.
I'll just go get my coat.
- Good.
- So what's going on
Dad, what's Arnold up to?
- He gave me some
cockamamie story about the knife,
but I think he was
carrying it for protection.
He also said that...
- Wait one second, Dad.
Ouch!
- Dad, I think Arnold's
a lot more shook up
than he's willing to admit.
- Well he's certainly
not dealing with it.
I didn't want to push him.
I didn't even bring up the thing
about him not sleeping.
This is just incredible!
My son thinks he
has to arm himself
with a knife, a lethal weapon?
What kind of a world is this?
- Well what are
you gonna do, Dad?
- I don't know!
For heaven's sakes, I'm
a little out of my league.
Well I have this friend
who's a child psychologist.
Maybe I'll call him
and talk to him.
- A psychologist?
Dad, do you really
think it's that serious?
- Yes I do.
And I will send Arnold to
see him if it's necessary.
- Send Arnold to a psychologist?
Poor guy.
- Well it's for
Arnold's own good.
- I was talking about
the psychologist!
Three and four
and five and six and,
now doesn't that feel
good all over your body?
I'll say.
- Oh hi Willis.
- Hey Dad.
- Are you watching
Maggie's show?
- No Dad, I'm watching the
exercise show on
the other channel.
- Better not let Maggie find
out you're watching that show
or she'll flatten more
than your tummy.
- I'll never tell
on you, Willis.
- Hey she's the one
Mama calls Attila the buns!
- Someday those buns will
be hanging in the Smithsonian.
- Hey, watching all that
exercising makes me hungry.
- Me too.
- I think I'll go make a snack.
- Me too.
- I think I'll make
my new favorite,
a peanut butter pickle
sardine sandwich.
- I'll make my snack later.
Hey Dad, thanks for
picking me up from school.
- No problem, Arnold.
- Boy there's nothing like
a good workout
to get you in shape.
- You're really building
up those old eye muscles.
- Right Dad.
So what about Arnold?
Did you talk to that
psychologist today?
- Yes I did.
He thinks most
definitely that Arnold
is covering up the
experience of being mugged.
He shows all the signs.
- Well why is he covering up?
He usually always
comes to one of us
when he has a problem.
- But we sometimes forget
that Arnold's growing up.
He's just starting to
feel his independence.
The last thing
that he wants to do
is to come running to one of us
to solve his problem.
- Yeah, I remember
when I was about his age
a big kid at school
took my lunch money.
- And why didn't you tell me
about that then
when it happened?
- Right Dad, I see your point
but you know, Arnold
claimed he fought back,
but I don't think so.
I think he froze like a wimp.
I know I did.
How can we help him?
- Well by making him
realize that the mugger's
a terrible person and
what he did was wrong
and that Arnold has
nothing to be ashamed of.
- Well that shouldn't be hard.
- That part isn't.
The rough part is to
get Arnold to open up
and talk about it, but
Dr. Parsons said we have to
let him do that in
his own good time.
- Well if that doesn't work Dad,
I'll teach Arnold
a little kung fu.
- I didn't know that
you knew kung fu.
- I don't, I was hoping
you'd pay for my lessons first.
- Nice try.
But Dr. Parsons did
tell me about something
that just might help.
I'm going to make
a few phone calls
and see if we can arrange
a demonstration
at Arnold's school.
- Oh good Dad.
- And so with the
settlement in the west,
many Americans were
satisfied with the land
that America held,
but a lot of people
still believed in America's
manifest destiny,
write that down.
That's America's right
to take as much land
as they thought
that they needed,
but a lot of people felt...
Sh sh calm down, sh sh sh!
- But he stole my purse!
- I know Lisa, I
know, just sit down.
Okay.
- What's going on?
- Yeah!
- What's the...
- Mr. Drummond.
- Mr. Hawkins.
- How are ya?
- Hi class!
Hi!
- Dad what are you doing here?
Did you see what just happened?
- Relax Arnold, yes I did.
And that man is
a police officer.
And he did that to
get your attention
because he wants to talk
to you about street safety.
In fact he's an expert
on how to be street smart.
- Why do we need
that, Mr. Drummond?
- Yeah we live in New York.
We're already street smart.
- Oh really Ricky?
Tell me something,
that man that ran in here,
what was he wearing?
- Blue jeans and
a yellow t-shirt.
- No it was a brown
shirt and white pants.
- No you guys are all dopes,
he was wearing a blue
shirt and white pants.
- We're dopes?
I can't wait to
see that guy's face
when he opens
that purse and finds
your king size
jar of ugly cream.
Dad, the man was wearing
blue jeans and a red sweater.
- Wrong, now let me show ya,
I have a little
surprise for you.
Sergeant Coletta, would
you come in please?
Now class, I would
like you all to meet
police sergeant Jim Coletta.
- Hi gang, how you doing?
Here's your purse, Lisa.
Thanks for helping out
with our little demonstration.
But how could you carry
this around without a forklift?
- Thank you sergeant
Coletta, I figured
it was some kind of
demonstration all along,
and I'm always happy to
help out and do my duty
in any and all
school activities.
- One more speech like that
and he's going to arrest you
for boring a police officer.
- Okay everybody,
settle down all right?
Listen I think it'd be very nice
if we gave Mr. Drummond a
hand for arranging all this huh?
- My pleasure!
- Now I hope that
little demonstration
taught you to keep your eyes
open and your wits about you.
You see, everybody
saw it differently
because no one was
really paying attention.
Sort of like history class
right here, right Mr. Hawkins?
- Sergeant Coletta,
isn't it difficult
to pay attention when
you're on the street
and somebody surprises you?
- Well it's difficult,
but not impossible.
In fact any description
you can give
to the police is very helpful.
Do you know that
nationally last year
over 28 million kids had
something stolen from them?
I mean how would you like
your new watch ripped off
or your lunch money
stolen or your Walkman?
I mean there's nothing wrong
with the streets,
they're terrific.
I grew up in the streets
and there's nothing
wrong with me right?
You just have to be alert.
Now when it comes
to being street smart,
there's no such thing
as right and wrong,
but there is strategy.
Now I'm going to
need some volunteers.
Lisa could you help
me out again please?
- I'd be proud and honored
to, sergeant Coletta.
- Please don't bring your purse.
Just kidding Lisa, we can't have
purse snatching without a purse.
All right now, I want you
to walk down the street
on your way home from school
just exactly the way
you do every day okay?
- You might be
interested to know
that on most days
before stopping home,
I stop by the library to
work on my extra credit...
- Lisa, Lisa, just
pretend to walk all right?
- All right class watch
this, it's a nice day,
it's sunny, she's enjoying
herself, walking down the street.
Now class, what's
wrong with this picture?
- Cows don't carry purses.
- Arnold!
- See gang, she
isn't paying attention.
Lisa is a prime target
for purse snatching.
She's too busy looking in store
windows for a wedding gown.
So no matter where
you are, always keep
one eye on the
lookout for the bad guy,
and the other eye
on the wedding gown.
- You should try it Arnold,
think you'd look
better cross-eyed.
- Okay, I think I'm gonna
need another volunteer.
Okay the young man
in the blue sweater.
- Thanks a lot, guys.
Jackson.
- Coletta.
Right on.
- Now, certain things are
obvious, don't stand out.
Don't dress better
than your friends
and don't flash a lot of
expensive possessions.
In other words, be a
zebra among zebras.
- Can't I just stay home and
be a chicken among chickens?
- No, we can't turn the
streets over to the bums.
Use strategy, learn to
take control of the sidewalk
around you, be alert,
walk tall, pretend to be
John Travolta if it'll
get you in the mood,
but just do it.
Okay Jackson
buddy, give it a shot.
Verbalize it.
- That's right, I'm
mean and I'm bad
so don't be shaking
with this boy's bacon.
- Arnold, he said John
Travolta not Olivia Newton-John.
- I think that was a little
too much shaking, Jackson,
but everybody did get the idea.
Now strategy number two, if
someone does approach you
or you think you're
being followed,
make eye contact quickly.
Get a sense of them.
How tall they are, how
threatening is the situation?
And then what do you do?
- Run!
- That's exactly
what you do, you run!
If you think you're in
danger, run into a store,
across the street, a change
of direction you got it?
- Got it!
- Come on guys, you got it?
- Got it!
- That's it.
Hey Jackson, maybe you
could help me out here.
I hear that you were
mugged recently.
- You were mugged Arnold?
Why didn't you tell us?
- Because it wasn't
that big of a deal.
Guy just kind of
took me by surprise.
- So you didn't spot him
before you were mugged.
- Uh, only for a few seconds.
He didn't look like a mugger.
- Yeah they almost never do.
I mean there's no stereotype
for muggers anymore these days.
I mean even
Mr. Drummond can be one,
although he'll only steal
your Wall Street Journal.
Now muggers look
just like everybody else,
so if you get a funny feeling
about someone, you take off.
- But what if you do all that
and someone still
comes after you?
- Good question, if someone
comes up behind you
and puts a knife to your
throat, what do you do?
Oh really hit him, hit him?
If Arnold tries to fight,
what's gonna happen?
I mean what do you
think I'm going to do?
Look where the
knife is, come on gang
do you still think
he should fight?
- No!
- Uh-uh!
- You didn't fight
him, did you Jackson?
Good, that's being street smart.
Possessions can be replaced
a lot faster than you can.
- Get that knife away from me,
that's what that
mugger guy did to me!
It was awful, it was horrible!
I was scared he
was gonna kill me!
- Okay Arnold, it's okay.
I was so scared, I
didn't know what to do.
- Jackson buddy, I'm sorry.
But you obviously did the
right thing, you know why pal?
Because you're still here.
- Gonna be all right Arnold,
I'm glad you
finally got this out.
Now we'll just go someplace
and have a little talk.
Thank you.
- Okay guys, let's
just review some stuff.
First of all, you have to
decide what's important.
♪ Now, the world don't move
to the beat of just one drum ♪
♪ What might be right for
you, may not be right for some ♪
♪ A man is born,
he's a man of means ♪
♪ Then along come two, they
got nothing but their jeans ♪
♪ But they got,
Diff'rent Strokes ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent Strokes ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to
move the world yes it does ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent
Strokes to move the world ♪
to the beat of just one drum ♪
♪ What might be right for
you may not be right for some ♪
♪ A man is born he's
a man of means ♪
♪ Then along come two ♪
♪ They got nothing
but their jeans ♪
♪ But they got,
Diff'rent Strokes ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent Strokes ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent
Strokes to move the world ♪
♪ Everybody's got a
special kind of story ♪
♪ Everybody finds
a way to shine ♪
♪ It don't matter that
you got not a lot ♪
♪ So what they'll have
theirs, and you'll have yours ♪
♪ And I'll have mine ♪
♪ And together we'll be fine ♪
♪ Because it takes, Diff'rent
Strokes to move the world ♪
♪ Yes it does ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent
Strokes to move the world ♪
- And so general Santa
Anna won his attack
on the Alamo and Texas
temporarily remained part of Mexico.
- Arnold, the way
you gave that report
on old Mexico
was one big siesta.
- And you're the expert,
since your breath
smells like old tacos.
- Hey hey hey, listen.
Well.
I'll see you all tomorrow huh?
Oh listen, listen.
Everybody be careful out there.
I guess you all
heard that another
one of our students
was mugged last night.
Okay, enough said?
- Yeah.
Okay see you tomorrow.
- Who got mugged?
- Mike Nagles, he's in
Mr. Larson's homeroom.
- Boy if something
like that happened
to me, I wouldn't fight.
I'd just give him my money.
- Right, I'd give
him your money too.
- Guys, guys, guys.
What did Mike expect?
He was alone in
the subway at night.
Now see, if you
stick to the streets
during the day,
there's no possible way
you can get mugged!
- Listen to Mr. Know-it-all.
- Unless you have
a mug like Lisa.
- Come on Arnold,
Dudley and I are gonna
stop by the gym and
watch cheerleader practice.
- Yeah, it's fun if
you're a thigh man.
- Hey, I'm a thigh, eye,
ear, nose, and throat man.
But I can't today, it's
my turn to stay behind
and help Mr. Hawkins
with the test papers.
- I sure hope he doesn't
grade us on a curve this time.
- Tell me about it.
The last time he graded
us three on a curve,
we went off the
road and over a cliff!
- Arnold, you about
ready to give me a hand?
Sure.
- Let's see, think we'll
grade these on a curve.
- Hey kid, come here.
I said come here.
- Hey what are you doing?
Hey help, help,
somebody help me!
Wait a minute!
- Okay now this
finger goes here.
- Ouch!
- And this finger goes here.
And this finger goes there.
And that chord is called an A.
- What's the A stand for, agony?
- Well, thanks for
the lesson, Sam.
- Would you like another
lesson tomorrow Mr. D?
- Oh sure Sam, my fingers
will be untangled by then.
- Hi guys.
- Hi Arnold, whatcha
got behind your back?
- Oh, just my jacket.
It kind of got ripped.
- Great, that way
it'll be broken in
by the time I get it
as a hand-me-down.
- Hey let's see.
- Hey!
- Oh.
- Hey Arnold, did
ya get in a fight?
- Kind of.
- Well I hope she
didn't hurt you.
- Cut it out guys, I got mugged!
- Mugged?
- Yeah mugged, M-U-ugged.
- What's mugged?
- Arnold was robbed.
Did the guy have a gun?
- No a knife, and luckily he
only got a couple of dollars.
- Luckily you didn't get hurt.
Sam, go get Dad.
- No!
Come back here!
It's not that big a deal, guys.
- The guy had a knife!
What's a big deal
to you, a bazooka?
- No, it's just that
you know it's over now
and I just want
to forget about it.
- Yeah I know what you mean.
Remember when I got mugged?
I didn't want to tell anybody
for a long time either.
- It's not that, I just don't
want you guys to worry Dad.
Besides, that knife
didn't scare me.
You should've seen
what I did to that guy.
- Did you punch
his lights out Arnold?
- Hey you know it!
First I gave him a
left, and the a right,
and then an uppercut and then
a roundhouse and a Sunday punch.
Then I gave him the
other six days too.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday!
- Then how did he get all
your money, Sugar Ray?
- He grabbed it out
of my pocket and ran.
That's how I got ripped,
but it doesn't matter.
Pearl will sew it up.
- Yeah well I guess
we won't tell Dad.
- Yeah, he'll just get
worried and call the police.
Besides, he has more
important things to do,
like cleaning up
after the horses.
- Well Arnold
sure is taking this
a lot better than I did
when I got mugged.
- Yeah, but you are
kind of a yellow belly.
- Little more Willis?
- Ah you bet, Dad.
You know you're a great cook.
Pearl has been on
vacation three days now
and I don't even
miss her cooking.
- Thank you.
- Hey I love your
dinners the best, Mr. D.
What restaurant are
we eating at tonight?
- We'll see Sam,
little more oatmeal?
- Oatmeal, why didn't you
tell me I was eating that, Mr. D?
I hate that stuff.
- But that is your second bowl.
- I thought it was
soggy cornflakes.
- Oh, more soggy cornflakes Sam?
- You bet Mr. D.
- Well well well.
If it isn't my favorite family.
- Hi Arnold.
- Morning, morning.
- You've been very chipper
lately, what's going on?
- It's Friday, which
means no homework,
which means I
get to stay up late,
which means all night
horror flicks on TV,
which means...
- Which means we get the idea.
- Oh, before I forget Arnold,
Dudley called while
you were in the shower.
He and Ricky got
a ride, so they can't
walk to school with
you this morning.
- Oh okay.
Hey Dad, how about giving
me a ride to school in the limo?
- Oh, I'm sorry Arnold.
I'm going to be going
in the opposite direction.
I have to meet
with my accountant.
It's tax time again.
- Boy, I'm sure glad I
don't have to pay taxes.
- Sam you pay taxes every time
you buy a candy
bar or a root beer.
- I do?
Boy that's pretty sneaky of 'em.
- Boy, I hope they don't
start a tax on kissing.
- Well Arnold, I
guess you're just
going to have to
go to school alone.
- Oh okay, it's no big deal.
- Hey Arnold, I'll walk
to school with you.
- No you won't Sam,
you're not walking anywhere!
Uh, I mean thanks anyway Sam,
but I'll just go to
school by myself.
- Arnold don't you
like your cereal?
- Pretend it's soggy cornflakes.
- Thanks Sam, but I think
my stomach's a little queasy.
- Oh really?
You were all right a minute ago.
- If Arnold's not
eating, he must be sick.
- You're not running
a temperature.
- Arnold, you can't be sick!
You told me you
never get sick on Friday,
you always wait 'til Monday...
- Uh Sam?
- I guess I talk too much.
- Listen Arnold, if you're
really not feeling well
maybe you'd better
not go to school today.
- That's a good idea, Dad.
- Man, I think I'm coming
down with the same thing.
- Then you better
go to school Willis,
you don't want to give it to me.
- Well it was worth a shot.
- Arnold, why don't you
just go back upstairs,
get into bed, and
I'll be up in a minute.
- Okay Dad.
- I hope he's not
getting the flu.
- He's just tired from
staying up all night.
- Staying up?
What do you mean Sam?
- Well the last few
nights when I wake up,
Arnold's still not sleeping.
He's just sitting at his
desk with the lights off.
- Sam, why didn't you
tell us about this before?
- I didn't think
anything was wrong.
Arnold told me he was studying
a history book on the dark ages.
Then I saw what he put
in his school notebook
and I got kind of scared.
- In his school notebook?
- Look.
- Now look Willis, I am
very disappointed in you.
Why didn't you come and tell me
that your brother
had been mugged?
- I'm sorry Dad, you're right.
- Arnold, Arnold!
- Yeah Dad?
- Would you come
down here please?
- Okay.
- Would you guys
leave us alone please?
- Sure Dad.
- Aw can't I waaa!
- Dad, what is it?
I was just getting
ready to get in bed.
- I'd like to know
why you've been
carrying one of our
kitchen knives to school.
- Knife?
- That's right.
You must have noticed it in here
among your pencils and
erasers and purple bubblegum.
- You're right Dad.
You'll be happy to
know it's sugarless.
See I figure it's never too late
to start a healthy
dental program.
You know...
- Arnold!
The knife.
- Right, the knife.
Well you see, there's this
kid at school, a friend of mine
and he needed something cut
and I told him we had this
real sharp knife at home
and I'd bring it to
school so he could use it.
- I see, I thought maybe
it might have something
to do with you being mugged.
- Great.
Which one of the
two stooges stooged?
- All right son, come over here.
Why didn't you come and tell
me that you'd been mugged?
- Ah Dad, he only
got a couple of bucks.
It wasn't the end of the world.
- Well it is the
end of the world
when you start carrying
things like this for protection.
You must have been
absolutely terrified.
- Nah Dad, I told you
what the knife was for.
The only thing that's
terrified me lately
is when I accidentally
barged in on Willis
kissing the bathroom mirror.
- Arnold stop it!
You could have been hurt.
For crying out loud, don't
you realize what happened?
I'm sorry Arnold.
You think about it
and you want to talk,
I'm always available, I
want you to remember that.
- That's okay
Dad, I've practically
forgotten about getting mugged.
The only thing that's
bothering me lately
is my homework and
how to get out of doing it.
- You seem to be
feeling a little better.
- Funny thing Dad, my
stomach's a little bit better now.
- I'm glad to hear that.
Would you like me to
drop you off at school?
- Sure Dad, but won't that
make you late for
your tax meeting?
- Maybe, but you come first.
- Thanks Dad.
I'll just go get my coat.
- Good.
- So what's going on
Dad, what's Arnold up to?
- He gave me some
cockamamie story about the knife,
but I think he was
carrying it for protection.
He also said that...
- Wait one second, Dad.
Ouch!
- Dad, I think Arnold's
a lot more shook up
than he's willing to admit.
- Well he's certainly
not dealing with it.
I didn't want to push him.
I didn't even bring up the thing
about him not sleeping.
This is just incredible!
My son thinks he
has to arm himself
with a knife, a lethal weapon?
What kind of a world is this?
- Well what are
you gonna do, Dad?
- I don't know!
For heaven's sakes, I'm
a little out of my league.
Well I have this friend
who's a child psychologist.
Maybe I'll call him
and talk to him.
- A psychologist?
Dad, do you really
think it's that serious?
- Yes I do.
And I will send Arnold to
see him if it's necessary.
- Send Arnold to a psychologist?
Poor guy.
- Well it's for
Arnold's own good.
- I was talking about
the psychologist!
Three and four
and five and six and,
now doesn't that feel
good all over your body?
I'll say.
- Oh hi Willis.
- Hey Dad.
- Are you watching
Maggie's show?
- No Dad, I'm watching the
exercise show on
the other channel.
- Better not let Maggie find
out you're watching that show
or she'll flatten more
than your tummy.
- I'll never tell
on you, Willis.
- Hey she's the one
Mama calls Attila the buns!
- Someday those buns will
be hanging in the Smithsonian.
- Hey, watching all that
exercising makes me hungry.
- Me too.
- I think I'll go make a snack.
- Me too.
- I think I'll make
my new favorite,
a peanut butter pickle
sardine sandwich.
- I'll make my snack later.
Hey Dad, thanks for
picking me up from school.
- No problem, Arnold.
- Boy there's nothing like
a good workout
to get you in shape.
- You're really building
up those old eye muscles.
- Right Dad.
So what about Arnold?
Did you talk to that
psychologist today?
- Yes I did.
He thinks most
definitely that Arnold
is covering up the
experience of being mugged.
He shows all the signs.
- Well why is he covering up?
He usually always
comes to one of us
when he has a problem.
- But we sometimes forget
that Arnold's growing up.
He's just starting to
feel his independence.
The last thing
that he wants to do
is to come running to one of us
to solve his problem.
- Yeah, I remember
when I was about his age
a big kid at school
took my lunch money.
- And why didn't you tell me
about that then
when it happened?
- Right Dad, I see your point
but you know, Arnold
claimed he fought back,
but I don't think so.
I think he froze like a wimp.
I know I did.
How can we help him?
- Well by making him
realize that the mugger's
a terrible person and
what he did was wrong
and that Arnold has
nothing to be ashamed of.
- Well that shouldn't be hard.
- That part isn't.
The rough part is to
get Arnold to open up
and talk about it, but
Dr. Parsons said we have to
let him do that in
his own good time.
- Well if that doesn't work Dad,
I'll teach Arnold
a little kung fu.
- I didn't know that
you knew kung fu.
- I don't, I was hoping
you'd pay for my lessons first.
- Nice try.
But Dr. Parsons did
tell me about something
that just might help.
I'm going to make
a few phone calls
and see if we can arrange
a demonstration
at Arnold's school.
- Oh good Dad.
- And so with the
settlement in the west,
many Americans were
satisfied with the land
that America held,
but a lot of people
still believed in America's
manifest destiny,
write that down.
That's America's right
to take as much land
as they thought
that they needed,
but a lot of people felt...
Sh sh calm down, sh sh sh!
- But he stole my purse!
- I know Lisa, I
know, just sit down.
Okay.
- What's going on?
- Yeah!
- What's the...
- Mr. Drummond.
- Mr. Hawkins.
- How are ya?
- Hi class!
Hi!
- Dad what are you doing here?
Did you see what just happened?
- Relax Arnold, yes I did.
And that man is
a police officer.
And he did that to
get your attention
because he wants to talk
to you about street safety.
In fact he's an expert
on how to be street smart.
- Why do we need
that, Mr. Drummond?
- Yeah we live in New York.
We're already street smart.
- Oh really Ricky?
Tell me something,
that man that ran in here,
what was he wearing?
- Blue jeans and
a yellow t-shirt.
- No it was a brown
shirt and white pants.
- No you guys are all dopes,
he was wearing a blue
shirt and white pants.
- We're dopes?
I can't wait to
see that guy's face
when he opens
that purse and finds
your king size
jar of ugly cream.
Dad, the man was wearing
blue jeans and a red sweater.
- Wrong, now let me show ya,
I have a little
surprise for you.
Sergeant Coletta, would
you come in please?
Now class, I would
like you all to meet
police sergeant Jim Coletta.
- Hi gang, how you doing?
Here's your purse, Lisa.
Thanks for helping out
with our little demonstration.
But how could you carry
this around without a forklift?
- Thank you sergeant
Coletta, I figured
it was some kind of
demonstration all along,
and I'm always happy to
help out and do my duty
in any and all
school activities.
- One more speech like that
and he's going to arrest you
for boring a police officer.
- Okay everybody,
settle down all right?
Listen I think it'd be very nice
if we gave Mr. Drummond a
hand for arranging all this huh?
- My pleasure!
- Now I hope that
little demonstration
taught you to keep your eyes
open and your wits about you.
You see, everybody
saw it differently
because no one was
really paying attention.
Sort of like history class
right here, right Mr. Hawkins?
- Sergeant Coletta,
isn't it difficult
to pay attention when
you're on the street
and somebody surprises you?
- Well it's difficult,
but not impossible.
In fact any description
you can give
to the police is very helpful.
Do you know that
nationally last year
over 28 million kids had
something stolen from them?
I mean how would you like
your new watch ripped off
or your lunch money
stolen or your Walkman?
I mean there's nothing wrong
with the streets,
they're terrific.
I grew up in the streets
and there's nothing
wrong with me right?
You just have to be alert.
Now when it comes
to being street smart,
there's no such thing
as right and wrong,
but there is strategy.
Now I'm going to
need some volunteers.
Lisa could you help
me out again please?
- I'd be proud and honored
to, sergeant Coletta.
- Please don't bring your purse.
Just kidding Lisa, we can't have
purse snatching without a purse.
All right now, I want you
to walk down the street
on your way home from school
just exactly the way
you do every day okay?
- You might be
interested to know
that on most days
before stopping home,
I stop by the library to
work on my extra credit...
- Lisa, Lisa, just
pretend to walk all right?
- All right class watch
this, it's a nice day,
it's sunny, she's enjoying
herself, walking down the street.
Now class, what's
wrong with this picture?
- Cows don't carry purses.
- Arnold!
- See gang, she
isn't paying attention.
Lisa is a prime target
for purse snatching.
She's too busy looking in store
windows for a wedding gown.
So no matter where
you are, always keep
one eye on the
lookout for the bad guy,
and the other eye
on the wedding gown.
- You should try it Arnold,
think you'd look
better cross-eyed.
- Okay, I think I'm gonna
need another volunteer.
Okay the young man
in the blue sweater.
- Thanks a lot, guys.
Jackson.
- Coletta.
Right on.
- Now, certain things are
obvious, don't stand out.
Don't dress better
than your friends
and don't flash a lot of
expensive possessions.
In other words, be a
zebra among zebras.
- Can't I just stay home and
be a chicken among chickens?
- No, we can't turn the
streets over to the bums.
Use strategy, learn to
take control of the sidewalk
around you, be alert,
walk tall, pretend to be
John Travolta if it'll
get you in the mood,
but just do it.
Okay Jackson
buddy, give it a shot.
Verbalize it.
- That's right, I'm
mean and I'm bad
so don't be shaking
with this boy's bacon.
- Arnold, he said John
Travolta not Olivia Newton-John.
- I think that was a little
too much shaking, Jackson,
but everybody did get the idea.
Now strategy number two, if
someone does approach you
or you think you're
being followed,
make eye contact quickly.
Get a sense of them.
How tall they are, how
threatening is the situation?
And then what do you do?
- Run!
- That's exactly
what you do, you run!
If you think you're in
danger, run into a store,
across the street, a change
of direction you got it?
- Got it!
- Come on guys, you got it?
- Got it!
- That's it.
Hey Jackson, maybe you
could help me out here.
I hear that you were
mugged recently.
- You were mugged Arnold?
Why didn't you tell us?
- Because it wasn't
that big of a deal.
Guy just kind of
took me by surprise.
- So you didn't spot him
before you were mugged.
- Uh, only for a few seconds.
He didn't look like a mugger.
- Yeah they almost never do.
I mean there's no stereotype
for muggers anymore these days.
I mean even
Mr. Drummond can be one,
although he'll only steal
your Wall Street Journal.
Now muggers look
just like everybody else,
so if you get a funny feeling
about someone, you take off.
- But what if you do all that
and someone still
comes after you?
- Good question, if someone
comes up behind you
and puts a knife to your
throat, what do you do?
Oh really hit him, hit him?
If Arnold tries to fight,
what's gonna happen?
I mean what do you
think I'm going to do?
Look where the
knife is, come on gang
do you still think
he should fight?
- No!
- Uh-uh!
- You didn't fight
him, did you Jackson?
Good, that's being street smart.
Possessions can be replaced
a lot faster than you can.
- Get that knife away from me,
that's what that
mugger guy did to me!
It was awful, it was horrible!
I was scared he
was gonna kill me!
- Okay Arnold, it's okay.
I was so scared, I
didn't know what to do.
- Jackson buddy, I'm sorry.
But you obviously did the
right thing, you know why pal?
Because you're still here.
- Gonna be all right Arnold,
I'm glad you
finally got this out.
Now we'll just go someplace
and have a little talk.
Thank you.
- Okay guys, let's
just review some stuff.
First of all, you have to
decide what's important.
♪ Now, the world don't move
to the beat of just one drum ♪
♪ What might be right for
you, may not be right for some ♪
♪ A man is born,
he's a man of means ♪
♪ Then along come two, they
got nothing but their jeans ♪
♪ But they got,
Diff'rent Strokes ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent Strokes ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to
move the world yes it does ♪
♪ It takes, Diff'rent
Strokes to move the world ♪